


For A Moment

by comedianrichie



Category: IT - Stephen King
Genre: Afterlife, Angst, M/M, Minor Eddie/Richie, Temporary Character Death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-22
Updated: 2019-09-22
Packaged: 2020-10-26 04:17:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 977
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20736110
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/comedianrichie/pseuds/comedianrichie
Summary: “Jeez Trashmouth I’ve been waiting for you.”





	For A Moment

* * *

Richie wakes up in a meadow, one that looks familiar to the place that he and Eddie use to frequent when they were teens. He stands from the bed of grass he was laying in and looks around, the trees are swaying gently in the summer breeze and somewhere in the distance Richie can hear the bubbling of a river. How did he end up here?

“Jeez Trashmouth I’ve been waiting for you.” Richie turns around and sees Eddie, well teenager Eddie laying on a picnic blanket.

“Eddie?” Richie walks to him and sits down beside him.

“Hey Rich.” Eddie smiles at him, dimples finding their way into his cheeks.

“Where am I?” There’s a heavy gust of wind that blows over them and makes Richie shiver.

“Heaven. Or whatever you want to believe is after death.”

“So I’m dead?” Eddie nods.

“Yup, you don’t remember dying?” Richie shakes his head, hands coming up to rub at his temples.

“No. Everything’s a blur.” Eddie sits up and sidles up to Richie, shoulder bumping his.

“Don’t sweat it. I’m sure you’ll remember soon, everyone eventually does.”

“Everyone?” Richie asks confused.

Eddies grin grows wider and he grabs Richie’s hand.

“You trust me?” Richie doesn’t have time to answer because Eddie just pulls him up and starts to run through the tall grass.

Richie stumbles after him only just managing to stop himself from falling. He runs after Eddie though and doesn’t stop running until they pass the trees and come to the river Richie heard earlier but it’s no longer just water he hears. The sounds of laughter and water splashing grace Richie’s ears.

In the water stands Beverly, Mike, Ben, Stan and Bill. They’re all chasing each other around the river throwing handfuls of water at each other, they all look so young and alive that Richie almost forgets that this isn’t real life.

“We’ve been waiting for you Rich. As per usual you’re always late to the party.” Eddie jokes as he tugs Richie further.

Eddie stops them at the bank of the river and turns to Richie.

“The waters great around this time.” Eddie says conversationally.

Richie watches as Eddie tugs his t-shirt off and pushes his shorts down his thighs, the stupid Star Wars briefs stare at him, they look exactly like the ones Richie bought him when they were sixteen. It was suppose to be a gag gift but Eddie fell in love with them.

“Don’t keep us waiting any longer Rich.” Eddie dives into the river and swims over to the other Losers.

Richie takes off his shirt and jeans leaving them puddled next to Eddies clothes and dives right in after the boy. He wades over to his best friends and is immediately pulled into a group hug, one filled with tears and stabbing jokes about his late arrival.

“I’ve missed you guys so much.” Richie manages to say through a hiccupy sob.

Emotions are raging high and Richie feels alight with happiness to see his band of misfits. Is so glad to see faces he hadn’t seen in years.The group pull apart after what seems like hours and Richie can’t help himself when he splashes water in Stans direction, declaring war.

After a few hours of swimming and the occasional chicken fight and even dunking the group wades out of the water and onto the bank of the river to lay on multicoloured towels. Richie is having the time of his life-or after life?-when he feels a dull buzzing in his chest. Richie dismisses the feeling when Eddie comes and lays by his side, hand coming to rest above Richie’s heart and head tucking under his chin. All is well until the buzzing becomes stronger and stronger until Richie is gasping for air and pushing Eddie off of him.

“Something’s wrong.” Richie grits his teeth as he clutches at his chest.

Everyone gathers around him, staring at him with the same worried expression.

“Fuck.” Beverly grabs Richie’s shoulder and she starts to cry.

“It’s not his time.” She states as she rubs a thumb over his freckly shoulder.

“What the hell do you mean it’s not his time?” Eddie shouts.

“Oh god it hurts so bad.” Richie whines as he falls forward into Eddies lap.

“H-he’s being r-res-resuscitated.” Bill says calmly, turning into Stan.

“I don’t wanna go back.” Richie murmurs.

“You have to Richie. It isn’t your time.” Mike runs a hand through his hair.

“Well someone make it my time!” Richie shouts, tears forming in his eyes and blurring his vision.

“We can’t. That’s not how this works. We don’t control who gets to come and who gets to stay.” Stan ever the one to be blunt and to the point says from over the top of Bills head.

“Eddie.” Richie looks up at the small boy, hand coming up to grab his cheek.

“Yeah Rich?” Eddie is crying as well, tears falling onto Richie’s forehead.

“Promise to wait for me when I get back okay?” Eddie nods furiously.

“Yeah, okay, I promise.” Eddie gasps out.

He smooths a hand through Richie’s hair and presses a gentle kiss against his brow bone.

“I’ll be back soon guys, I promise.” Richie says finally as things turn hazy and his the world blacks out.

Richie wakes up in the back of an ambulance, he looks around and sees a female responder looking down at him with relief in her eyes.

“Sir can you hear me?” Richie moans at the pain in his chest.

“Sir we’re taking you to the hospital, for now you’re in a stable condition. Can you tell me who you are?” Richie licks his lips.

“Richard Wentworth Tozier.” He says raspy.

“Okay that’s good, do you know where you are?” Richie’s eyes fog over and tears start to spill.

“Not where I want to be.”


End file.
